On the surface, Anthony Bourdain had everything. He had escaped the grind of commercial kitchens for global renown as an author and television personality. He’d won his fight against addiction. He was a loving father. He had a loyal circle of friends. And still, on June 8, 2018, in a quiet hotel room in Alsace, the 61-year-old chef took his own life.
Depression, anxiety and addiction affect all industries, of course, but people in hospitality are especially vulnerable. The hours are long and often isolating, the tasks physically demanding, the pressure to perform relentless. Worse, there’s a kind of “suck it up” attitude that’s particularly tough on hospitality workers, who are hard-wired to take care of others before themselves.
“We have to change the perception of the industry — and we need to change the reality of the industry.”A couple of years back, it was these exact issues that had Gino Di Domenico and Taylor Chobotiuk searching for solutions for their 250-plus employees at Tacofino Restaurants. Meanwhile, Shoel Davidson, who owns and operates Dixie’s BBQ and Gringo Gastown, was himself struggling with suicidal thoughts. “Shoel had come to me and asked, ‘What do I do?’ I’m a pretty resourceful person and I didn’t have a clue,” Cottell says, adding darkly, “Usually you find out about suicide after the fact, and not before.”
Originally, they wanted to use the money to provide counselling, the way the B.C. Hospitality Foundation helps workers who are sick or injured. But it quickly became apparent that the money wouldn’t go very far — and besides, there were massive concerns about privacy and liability.“We think that the more resources available, the better chance that people will get the help they need,” Di Domenico says.
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